The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Permanent Diaconate in the U.S. Catholic Church and help to determine its future direction. The National Study on the Permanent Diaconate of the Catholic Church in the United States consisted of a four-phase, two-year study. The Study of the Permanent Deacons was Phase I.

Data File

Cases: 3,044
Variables: 190
Weight Variable: None

Data Collection

Date Collected: 1994-1995

Funded By

The National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Catholic Church Extension Society of the United States of America.

Collection Procedures

Self-administered mail surveys

Sampling Procedures

Out of 9,000 questionnaires, 5,369 or 60 percent were returned. Out of these 5,369, 3,073 were randomly selected. To ensure that Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Eskimos and Aleuts were represented, any deacons in the 5,369 returns found to be of these cultures were included. Hence, within the random sample, there's a selected sample of cultures other than white Anglos.